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Rights-based Family Life Education Helps School Children to Grow up Strong and Decisive Adults

21 November 2017

21, November 2017 – The Afghan Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) with technical and financial support from UNFPA – the United Nations Population Fund handed over Family Life Education material to the Ministry of Education.

The material developed, for grades 4 to 12, by MoPH and UNFPA is based on comprehensive research and meets international standards that is cultural sensitive and age appropriate with full consideration of Islamic teachings and the Afghan cultural context.

“At the United Nations Population Fund, one of our areas of focus is to work with government and the people of Afghanistan to ensure that every Afghan young man and woman fulfill their full potential,”, said Dr. Bannet Ndyanabangi UNFPA Representative in Afghanistan, “we need to work together to enhance youth participation in decision making in the country.”

Family life education is a rights based and gender focused approach to education about basic life skills that are required to live a healthy life, which enables Afghan adolescent and youth to make informed decisions about their lives.

Family Life Education (FLE) is a requirement for each and every person to live a healthy life free of any kind of diseases and any type of violence and with full dignity. The information and education included in FLE are necessary for children as early as the beginning of adolescence, such information include:

- Information, skills and values that enable young people to make informed choices about their health and family life,

- Opportunities for young people to explore their attitudes and values, and

- Practice key skills including but not limited to skills as negotiation and decision making.

- FLE is rights based and gender sensitive approach and covers numerous issues such as;

o Relationship dynamics,

o Gender norms,

o Puberty,

o Reproductive health,

o Human rights, and

o Discrimination and etc.

Including FLE in school curricula is particularly important because its reach to the Afghan population is extensive. There are 8.9 million Afghan children enrolled in school (Afghanistan Statistical Year Book, 2016), who absorb knowledge everyday and apply the same to their lives in the family and the society as a whole.

FLE can empower this population to understand and enjoy their rights by demanding them. Lack of FLE can affect Afghan youth’s decision in regards to getting married and becoming parents. Getting married too early robs any opportunity to educate and nurture healthy families and a healthy society.